A large crowd have travelled from Castlemaine to Bendigo as part of a demonstration against a proposal to ban bikes on peak-hour V-line and metropolitan trains.

The rally began at the Castlemaine train station this morning, and around 100 protesters then caught the train to Bendigo, where they stood on the platform chanting "bikes on trains now."

Many of the passengers took their bikes on the train or carried cardboard cut-outs of bikes labelled with messages about climate change.

The ban on bikes was due to start on February 1, but due to public outcry, the Victorian Minister for public transport, Lynne Kosky, recently announced a review of the ban.

Carol Skinner, who travelled from Fitzroy to attend the protest, believes the ban has already had an affect on cyclists. She says she will continue to lobby for it to be lifted.

"I know a lot of people who will basically be forced to drive everywhere instead of using public transport. So I'm certainly going to keep up with the protests until the ban is reversed."

Carol says being able to take her bike on the train gives her more independence, and she will have to consider the ban when catching public transport in the future.

"For example when I go to visit my old Dad in Inverloch it's a 140 kilometres from Melbourne. I train it there then get the ferry to Phillip Island and cycle from there to Inverloch. It's nice and I enjoy it. "

Bicycle groups have labeled the ban a short-term solution to overcrowding on trains, and Carol thinks we need to completely reassess the way we view public transport.

"Actually I'm a retired meteorologist and I'm very worried about climate change. I just can't believe that the government would do such a stupid thing as ban bikes on trains. They are building freeways like the oil isn't going to run out and I'm just frightened about the whole thing."

Bronwyn Machin, a member of the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance, agrees that the government needs to make public transport a number one priority.

"Cycling saves money for people; it saves greenhouse gas emissions and improves health. This is about very good integrated transport planning and that's what we need."

Climate change is constantly in the news at the moment, and Bronwyn says the government should remember that when they decide whether to implement the ban.

"Climate change should be considered in every single government decision. This country is going to suffer and it's already suffering greatly from climate change. We need to be doing everything we can to have in an integrated whole-of-government approach to transport. That means that instead of creating big freeways we should be doing far better public transport. Better public transport includes that integrated planning that enables people to walk or ride to public transport."